There are many ways to ask for reviews. Whether it is a formal campaign or just a simple note on a completed service request, the point is to get the idea of leaving a review into the heads of your residents.
You need to be proactive with your reputation management and get over the discomfort of asking for apartment reviews. The good news is that you don’t have years of negative reviews to overcome with Renter’s Voice. Unlike other sites, Renter’s Voice has very positive apartment reviews with an average rating of 3.9. Yes, 3.9! See, apartment ratings and reviews are not as scary as you think.
Once you’ve embraced ratings and reviews as a positive marketing tool for your community, you need to strategize on how you can make your residents WANT to leave you a review (and become a community ambassador).
Here is a list of 10 ways to ask for apartment reviews and encourage feedback.
1. Create a personal touch
Asking for reviews can be a very automated process, which is sometimes needed. However, take the time to send personalized emails as well. Many people today miss that personal touch. It will make them feel like you really care about their feedback.
2. Educate customers on how to leave a review
We have been inundated with ratings and reviews in the apartment industry for years, so it can be easy to forget that not everyone lives and breathes reviews like we do! When you ask your residents for a review of your apartment community, make sure you tell them exactly where to go. Maybe even include a few steps on how to leave their apartment reviews on Renter’s Voice.
3. Create a “review station”
Creating a review station in your leasing office makes it that much easier to encourage feedback. Your residents or prospects are right there and can post a review before they leave the office. Don’t have room in your leasing office? How about using your business center? Change the wallpaper on your computer screens to include information about leaving a review. You can also change the homepage of the browsers to your Renter’s Voice page. Making it as easy as possible for customers to leave a review is one of the best ways to encourage more reviews!
4. Use quick reminders
This is one of my favorite tips! Find opportunities to encourage reviews when your resident is happy. Find the area where you really excel at customer service and use that as the time and place to ask for a review. For example, assume you have an excellent service team that responds quickly and fixes things correctly the first time. Give the service team members quick reminder cards to leave behind in apartments. This will encourage very positive reviews. You can also put reminders on packages, add a banner on your resident portal, or even go old school and put a flier on the community bulletin board!
5. Show apartment reviews on your website
If you do not show reviews directly on your website, make sure the links to your apartment reviews page on Renter’s Voice are prominent and easy to follow. This is a simple, easy way to ask for apartment reviews and encourage feedback from residents and prospective renters alike.
6. Include in your social media efforts
Reviews and social media just fit together. Encourage your audience on your social media sites to post their objective reviews on Renter’s Voice. Just don’t be too “salesy” or pushy. You can casually ask for reviews occasionally. Another great way to draw attention is to mention on your social media sites a positive review that was posted and even thank the person who left the apartment review. Acknowledging someone when they leave a review for you will in itself encourage others to post reviews.
7. Add Renter’s Voice to your business card
A great reminder is to include information about Renter’s Voice on your business cards. Ask customers how their experience was. If you don’t have the ability to change your business cards or print new cards, Renter’s Voice can provide cards to hand out. Keep a stack of these cards in any common areas.
8. Update your email signature
Think about how many emails you send a day. Now think about how many opportunities you have to ask people to visit your review page or leave you a review. Wow, that is a lot! Adding a simple note and link in your signature is a great way to encourage feedback and engagement.
9. Incentivize if necessary
While incentivizing residents to leave reviews can get a little tricky, if done right it can definitely increase the number of reviews being posted. If you incentivize customers to leave apartment reviews, you should always compensate equally regardless of whether the review is positive or negative. Think about some non-traditional ways to incentivize reviews. You could have a drawing where everyone who posts a review receives an entry, and the winner gets a reserved pool chair on a warm Saturday afternoon. What a fun and memorable way to ask for apartment reviews and encourage feedback.
10. Respond to reviews
One of the best ways to encourage reviews is simply to respond to reviews that are posted. When you get a review – negative or positive – respond promptly and thoughtfully, and solve the problem. This shows that you are listening and engaged, which will often encourage additional feedback.
What are some ways you ask for apartment reviews and encourage feedback from your customers?
